1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording medium library apparatus such as a magnetic tape library apparatus, a magneto-optical (MO) library apparatus, an optical (CD, or a like) library apparatus and a like, and more particularly to an improvement in a recording medium loading/unloading mechanism mounted on a carrier of the recording medium library apparatus.
The present application claims the Convention Priority of Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 11-337550 filed on November 29,1999, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a magnetic tape cartridge loading/unloading mechanism, there have been conventionaly known two types of mechanisms. One is of a pickup-hand type, and an other is of a roller/belt type. A mechanism of the pickup-hand type uses a pickup hand to pick up and transfer a magnetic tape cartridge among a cartridge storage portion, a read/write portion and a carrier. On an other hand, a mechanism of the roller/belt type uses a roller and a transfer belt to transfer the magnetic tape cartridge among the cartridge storage portion, the read/write portion and the carrier.
Now, problems to be solved by the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 9A and 9B, wherein: FIG. 9A shows a side view of a first conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 100 provided with a carrier having a tape cartridge loading/unloading mechanism in which the pickup hand is used; and, FIG. 9B shows a plan view of the first conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 9A, illustrating the pickup hand used in the tape cartridge- loading/unloading mechanism of the first conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 100.
This first conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 100 is constructed of: a cartridge storage portion 102 for storing a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges 101 therein; a read/write portion 103 for reading/writing data from/to a magnetic tape of a desired one of the magnetic tape cartridges 101; and, a carrier 104 which is reciprocally moved between the cartridge storage portion 102 and the read/write portion 103 to receive and deliver the desired one of the magnetic tape cartridges 101.
As shown in FIG. 9A, in the cartridge storage portion 102, a plurality of cells each of which contains each of the magnetic tape cartridges 101 therein are packed together vertically in a stack. Disposed over this stack of the plurality of cells is the read/write portion 103 which is fixedly mounted in the first conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 100.
On the other hand, the carrier 104 is movably mounted in the first conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 100 in a manner such that the carrier 104 is slidably moved up and down by means of a suitable elevator mechanism (not shown) along a pair of guide rods 105 and freely transferred between: its uppermost position corresponding to an uppermost one of the plurality of cells in the cartridge storage portion 102; and, its lowermost position corresponding to a lowermost one of the plurality of cells in the cartridge storage portion 102.
As shown in FIG. 9B, the carrier 104 is provided with a pickup hand 106 which serves as the tape cartridge loading/unloading mechanism.
In an unloading (retrieving) operation of the magnetic tape cartridge 101 from the cartridge- storage portion 102 or from the read/write portion 103, the above-mentioned elevator mechanism (not shown) vertically drives the carrier 104 to a target position 10 corresponding to a desired one of the magnetic tape cartridges 101 received in the cartridge storage portion 102 or received in the read/write portion 103. After that, the pickup hand 106 is moved right as viewed in FIG. 9B to have a pair of front end pawls 108 of its arms 107 catch an end portion of the desired magnetic tape cartridge 101. Under such circumstances, the pickup hand 106 is then moved back left as viewed in FIG. 9B to unload or retrieve the magnetic tape cartridge 101 from the cartridge storage portion 102 or from the read/write portion 103. A thus retrieved cartridge 101 is temporarily disposed and held stationary in the carrier 104.
On the other hand, in loading the thus retrieved cartridge 101 of the carrier 104 into the cartridge storage portion 102 or into the read/write portion 103, the magnetic tape cartridge 101 is moved to the right (as viewed in FIG. 9B) while being caught in a space between the pawls 108 of the pickup hand 106, so that the magnetic tape cartridge 101 is positively inserted (loaded) into the cartridge storage portion 102 or into the read/write portion 103 by means of the pickup hand 106.
The first conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 100 having the above construction is advantageous in that it may perform the loading/unloading operation of the magnetic tape cartridge 101 without fail using the pickup hand 106. However, the first conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 100 is disadvantageous in that the loading/unloading operation of the magnetic tape cartridge 101 is so limited as to be performed only in one of the opposite-side portions of the carrier 104, for example such as a right side area of the carrier 104 as viewed in FIG. 9B. As a result, it is necessary for the first conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 100 to have the cartridge storage portion 102 and the read/write portion 103 vertically stacked together in the right side area of the carrier 104 as viewed in FIG. 9B. This can be a problem in a case where the first conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 100 is required to reduce its height in its design process.
Further, since it is necessary for the first conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 100 to have the pickup hand 106 to be disposed on an extension line of a loading/unloading path of the magnetic tape cartridge 101, an entire length of the carrier 104 is equal to at least a sum of an entire length of the magnetic tape cartridge 101 and a length of the pickup hand 106, as shown in FIG. 9B. This makes it difficult to reduce in size the carrier 104.
On the other hand, FIG. 10A shows a side view of a second conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 109, illustrating a carrier 110 provided with a tape cartridge loading/unloading mechanism in which two rows of rollers 111 serve as a means for transferring the magnetic tape cartridge 101. FIG. 10B shows a plan view of the second conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 109 shown in FIG. 10A, illustrating the carrier 110 provided with the tape cartridge loading/unloading mechanism in which the two rows of the rollers 111 serve as the means for transferring the magnetic tape cartridge 101.
As is in the first conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 100 shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the second conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 109 shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B is also provided with: the cartridge storage portion 102 for storing the magnetic tape cartridge 101 therein; the read/write portion 103 for reading/writing data from/to the magnetic tape of the magnetic tape cartridge 101; and, the carrier 110 which is reciprocally moved between the cartridge storage portion 102 and the read/write portion 103 to receive and deliver the magnetic tape cartridge 101. The carrier 110 is movably mounted in the second conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 109 in a manner such that the carrier 110 is slidably moved up and down by means of a suitable elevator mechanism along the pair of the guide rods 105 and freely transferred between: its uppermost position corresponding to the uppermost one of the plurality of cells in the cartridge storage portion 102; and, its lowermost position corresponding to the lowermost one of the plurality of cells in the cartridge storage portion 102.
As shown in FIG. 10, the carrier 110 is provided with two rows of rollers 111 for loading/unloading the magnetic tape cartridge 101. In the second conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 109, the pickup hand 106 of the first conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 100 is replaced with the two rows of the rollers 111. More specifically, in the loading/unloading operation of the magnetic tape cartridge 101, the cartridge 101 is loaded/unloaded into/from the cartridge storage portion 102 or into/from the read/write portion 103 while being sandwiched between the two rows of the rollers 111.
Since the second conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 109 has the above construction, it is possible to transfer the magnetic tape cartridge 101 through an interior of the carrier 110 in the loading/unloading operation of the magnetic tape cartridge 101. Due to this, as is clear from FIGS. 10A and 10B, it is possible for the second conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 109 to perform the loading/unloading operation of the magnetic tape cartridge 101 in opposite-side portions of the carrier 110. Consequently, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, it is possible to separate the cartridge storage portion 102 from the read/write portion 103 so as to be disposed in one of the opposite-side portions of the carrier 110 in a condition in which the read/write portion 103 is disposed in the other of the opposite-side portions of the carrier 110. Further, as is in the first conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 100, it is also possible for the second conventional apparatus 109 to stack the cartridge storage portion 102 and the read/write portion 103 together vertically in a stack. Due to this, the second conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 109 is considerably improved in design freedom in comparison with the first conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 100. Further, the second conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 109 is not required to dispose its cartridge loading/unloading mechanism on an extension line of the loading/unloading path of the magnetic tape cartridge 101. This makes it possible to reduce in size the carrier 110 in the second conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 109.
However, in the case of the second conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 109, there is a danger that the magnetic tape cartridge 101 is not sufficiently loaded into the cartridge storage portion 162 or into the read/write portion 103 since a final stage of its loading operation is performed only by means of the two rows of the rollers 111. More specifically, in a case where dust or a like settles on the opposite-side surfaces of the magnetic tape cartridge 101 and/or the two rows of the rollers 111 themselves have worn, the rollers 111 tend to slip on the opposite-side surfaces of the magnetic tape cartridge 101 in the loading/unloading operation of the magnetic tape cartridge 101, which often results in a failure in the loading/unloading operation of the magnetic tape cartridge 101.
In a case where the tape cartridge loading/unloading mechanism employs a transfer belt (not shown) in the second conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 109, such transfer belt is trained over each of the two rows of the rollers 111 so as to run round these rollers 111. However, even when the transfer belt runs round the two row of the rollers 111, there is a danger that these transfer belts slip on the opposite-side surfaces of the magnetic tape cartridge 101 at the final stage of the loading/unloading operation of the magnetic tape cartridge 101 due to presence of the above-mentioned dust and/or roller wear, further due to a fact that only very limited narrow end portions of the transfer belts contribute to sandwiching or holding of the magnetic tape cartridge 101 at the final stage of the loading/unloading operation of the magnetic tape cartridge 101. In other words, at the final stage of the loading/unloading operation, a bulk of each of the transfer belts separates from the magnetic tape cartridge 101, and therefore does not contribute to holding of the cartridge 101 at all. Due to this, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the second conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 109 employing the transfer belts (not shown) together with the two rows of the rollers 111 is still disadvantageous due to a danger of slippage as is in the first conventional magnetic tape library apparatus 109 which employs the rollers 111 without employing the transfer belts.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a recording medium library apparatus capable of solving problems inherent in conventional apparatuses, and thereby realizing an improvement in a recording medium cartridge loading/unloading mechanism mounted on a carrier of the recording medium library apparatus.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium library apparatus including: a cartridge storage portion for storing a plurality of recording medium cartridges such as magnetic tape cartridges therein; a read/write portion for reading/writing data from/to the recording medium cartridge; a carrier which is reciprocally moved between the cartridge storage portion and the read/write portion in a condition in which the carrier holds the recording medium cartridge therein; and, a recording medium cartridge loading/unloading mechanism provided in the carrier, an improvement wherein: the recording medium cartridge loading/unloading mechanism is of a transfer-roller type; and, at a final stage of a loading operation of the recording medium cartridge into the read/write portion or into the cartridge storage portion, the recording medium cartridge loading/unloading mechanism functions to positively push a rear-end portion or a front-end portion of the recording medium cartridge forward or rearward to complete the loading operation.
With the above construction, it is possible to positively push the rear-end portion or the front-end portion of the recording medium cartridge at the final stage of its loading operation in a loading direction to load the recording medium cartridge into the read/write portion or into the cartridge storage portion. In this loading operation, since the rear-end portion or the front-end portion of the recording medium cartridge is directly pushed by the recording medium cartridge loading/unloading mechanism in a direction perpendicular to the rear-end portion or the front-end portion of the recording medium cartridge, no slippage occurs with respect to the recording medium cartridge in this loading operation, even when the recording medium cartridge is soiled, and/or even when cartridge transfer-rollers have worn. This ensures that the recording medium cartridge is loaded into the read/write portion or into the cartridge storage portion without fail.
Also, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium library apparatus including: a cartridge storage portion for storing a plurality of recording medium cartridges therein; a read/write portion for reading/writing data from/to the recording medium cartridge; a carrier which is reciprocally moved between the cartridge storage portion and the read/write portion in a condition in which the carrier holds the recording medium cartridge therein; and, a recording medium cartridge loading/unloading mechanism provided in the carrier, improvement wherein: the recording medium cartridge loading/unloading mechanism is provided with: a pair of cartridge transfer-rollers which are disposed adjacent to a transfer path of the recording medium cartridge on the carrier, and spaced a predetermined distance away from each other in a loading/unloading direction of the recording medium cartridge; a roller arm which has the cartridge transfer-rollers pivoted to its opposite-end portions; a guide for guiding in motion the roller arm along the transfer path of the recording medium cartridge in the loading/unloading direction thereof; a roller arm linear driving means for linear driving the roller arm along the guide; a transfer-roller rotary driving means for rotatably driving the cartridge transfer-rollers in a manner such that the cartridge transfer-rollers linear move the recording medium cartridge in a direction in which the roller arm is linear driven; and, a roller arm rotary driving means for rotatably driving the roller arm itself when the roller arm reaches a front-end portion or a rear-end portion of the guide, in which end portion a trailing one or a leading one of the cartridge transfer-rollers separates from both the guide and a side surface of the recording medium cartridge outwardly on the carrier while the leading one or the trailing one of the cartridge transfer-rollers projects inwardly into the transfer path of the recording medium cartridge upon rotation of the roller arm.
Due to the above construction, the roller arm is linear driven by the roller arm linear driving mechanism in the cartridge loading/unloading direction while being guided through the guide. At a same time, the pair of the cartridge transfer-rollers both pivoted to the opposite-end portions of the roller arm are rotary driven through the transfer-roller rotary driving means.
In this case, the pair of the transfer-rollers rotate in a manner such that each of the transfer-rollers brought into contact with the side surface of the recording medium cartridge linear drives the recording medium cartridge in a direction in which the roller arm is linear driven. For example, in the case where the recording medium cartridge held in the carrier is moved in its loading direction so as to be loaded into the read/write portion or into the cartridge storage portion, the pair of the transfer-rollers rotate to linear drive the recording medium cartridge in such loading direction, and thereby loading the recording medium cartridge into the read/write portion or into the cartridge storage portion. On an other hand, in contrast with the above loading operation, in a case where the recording medium cartridge received in the read/write portion or in the cartridge storage portion is unloaded therefrom, the pair of the transfer-rollers rotate to linear drive the recording medium cartridge in its unloading direction, and thereby unloading the recording medium cartridge from the read/write portion or from the cartridge storage portion, whereby the thus unloaded recording medium cartridge is received in the carrier.
As described above, in each of: the loading operation, in which the recording medium cartridge is unloaded from the carrier and loaded to the read/write portion or to the cartridge storage portion; and, the unloading operation, in which the recording medium cartridge is unloaded from the read/write portion or from the cartridge storage portion, and loaded to the carrier, the recording medium cartridge is simultaneously subjected to both the cartridge linear driving operation performed by the roller arm and the cartridge feeding operation performed by rotational motion of the cartridge transfer-rollers. Namely, the linear motion of the roller arm is combined with the rotationally driven motion of its cartridge transfer-rollers to help speed and smooth the loading/unloading operation of the recording medium cartridge performed between the carrier and each of the cartridge storage portion and the read/write portion.
When the roller arm reaches the rear-end portion or the front-end portion of the guide at the final stage of the loading operation, the roller arm rotary driving mechanism is actuated to rotary drive the roller arm itself in a manner such that a trailing one or a leading one of the cartridge transfer-rollers separates from both the guide and the side surface of the recording medium cartridge outwardly on the carrier while the leading one or the trailing one of the cartridge transfer-rollers projects inwardly into the transfer path of the recording medium cartridge upon rotation of the roller arm.
Due to such rotational motion of the roller arm itself on its center pin, for example as for the trailing one of the cartridge transfer-rollers, such trailing cartridge transfer-roller is brought into contact with the rear-end of the recording medium cartridge and positively push a same cartridge in its loading direction. As described above, the recording medium cartridge does not depend on any frictional engagement between the cartridge transfer-rollers and the side surface of the recording medium cartridge at the final stage of its loading operation for loading the recording medium cartridge into the read/write portion or into the cartridge storage portion. Consequently, even when the recording medium cartridge is soiled and/or even when the cartridge transfer-rollers have worn, it is possible to load the recording medium cartridge into the read/write portion or into the cartridge storage portion without fail.
Furthermore, the roller arm is disposed adjacent to thee transfer path of the recording medium cartridge during the transfer operation of the recording medium cartridge. Only at the final stage of the loading operation in which an intense pushing force for positively pushing the recording medium cartridge is required, the roller arm is rotary driven to have its trailing one or its leading one of the cartridge transfer-rollers separate from both the guide and the side surface of the recording medium cartridge outwardly on the carrier, and to have the leading one or the trailing one of the cartridge transfer-rollers project inwardly into the transfer path of the recording medium cartridge and engage with the rear-end portion or the front-end portion of the recording medium cartridge. Due to this, it is possible to reduce an entire length of the recording medium library apparatus of the present invention in an easy manner in comparison with each of conventional apparatuses each provided with the recording medium cartridge loading/unloading mechanism in which a pickup hand, transfer-rollers and/or transfer belt are/is used.
In the foregoing, a preferable mode is one wherein: the guide extends substantially over the entire length of the carrier in the loading/unloading direction of the recording medium cartridge; and, the roller arm rotary driving means operates at a time when the roller arm reaches each of a forward end portion and a rearward end portion of the guide.
With the above construction, it is possible to perform the loading/unloading operation in the opposite-end portions of the carrier, without fail. Consequently, it is possible to dispose the cartridge storage portion and the read/write portion in the opposite-end portions of the carrier so that the cartridge storage portion is oppositely disposed from the read/write portion through the carrier.
Further, as described above, at the final stage of the loading operation of the recording medium cartridge into the read/write portion or into the cartridge storage portion, the roller arm itself is rotary driven by the roller arm rotary driving mechanism. As a result, the trailing one or the leading one of the cartridge transfer-rollers having been pivoted to the opposite-end portions of the roller arm directly pushes the rear-end portion or the front-end portion of the recording medium cartridge forward or rearward in its loading operation into the read/write portion or into the cartridge storage portion. Consequently, it is possible to completely solve problems inherent in conventional apparatuses in the loading operation of the recording medium cartridge.
With the above construction, it is possible to steadily hold the recording medium cartridge in its home position on the carrier. The transfer operation of the recording medium cartridge performed by means of the cartridge transfer-rollers is completed when the roller arm reaches each of the opposite-end portions of the guide. After that, the rear-end portion or the front-end portion of the recording medium cartridge passes over the trailing one or the leading one of the cartridge transfer-rollers, which permits the roller arm itself to rotate on the axis of its main-engaging projection (center pin). Due to such rotational motion of the roller arm, the trailing one or the leading one of the cartridge transfer-rollers projects into the transfer path of the recording medium cartridge, and directly pushes the rear-end portion of the front-end portion of the recording medium cartridge, so that the recording-medium cartridge is inserted or loaded into the read/write portion or into the cartridge storage portion in its loading operation, without fail.
It is also possible to dispose all the components of the apparatus of the present invention, for example recording medium library cartridge transfer-rollers, roller arm, guide, transfer-roller rotary driving means, and roller arm rotary driving means in each of the opposite-side portions of the carrier so as to sandwich the recording medium cartridge between these components such as the cartridge transfer-rollers and the like disposed in the opposite-side portions of the carrier. However, in order to simplify in construction the recording medium library apparatus of the present invention, these components of the recording medium library apparatus are preferably disposed in only one of the opposite-side portions of the carrier so as to be oppositely disposed from the row of rollers disposed in an other of the opposite-side portions of the carrier. The row of the rollers cooperates with the cartridge transfer-rollers of the one of the opposite-side portions of the carrier to sandwich the recording medium cartridge therebetween in the transfer operation of the recording medium cartridge.
It is possible for the recording medium library apparatus having the thus simplified construction to steadily accomplish the loading operation of the recording medium cartridge into the read/write portion or into the cartridge storage portion, because: as described above, at the final stage of the loading operation of the recording medium cartridge into the read/write portion or into the cartridge storage portion, the rear-end portion or the front-end portion of the recording medium cartridge is directly pushed forward or rearward by the trailing one or the leading one of the cartridge transfer-rollers.
Another preferable mode of the recording medium library apparatus provided with the cartridge loading/unloading mechanism is one wherein: the guide is constructed of a groove; a rack is disposed adjacent to the guide outside the transfer path of the recording medium cartridge to extend in parallel to the guide; a gear capable of meshing with the rack is integrally formed with the cartridge transfer-roller; a main-engaging projection is provided in a central portion of the roller arm, and slidably engaged with the guide in an insertion manner to ensure that the rack meshes with the gear without fail, so that the transfer-roller rotary driving means is constructed of the rack, the gear and the roller arm linear driving means, wherein the roller arm linear driving means moves the main-engaging projection along the guide; a sub-engaging projection is provided in the vicinity of each of a pair of pivoted portions of the cartridge transfer-rollers in the roller arm, wherein each of the sub-engaging projections is shorter in length than the main-engaging projection and slidably engaged with the guide together with the main-engaging projection (center pin of the roller arm) in an insertion manner; a sub-engaging projection separation area is formed in vicinity of each of a front-end portion and a rear-end portion of the guide to permit only the sub-engaging projections to escape from the groove of the guide through sub-engaging projection separation recesses by setting a height of the groove in each of the sub-engaging projection separation recesses at a value smaller than a length of the main-engaging projection having been inserted in the groove of the guide so as to prevent only the main-engaging projection from escaping from the groove in each of the sub-engaging projection separation recesses; a sub-guide which is identical in construction with the guide and connected with each of the front-end portion and the rear-end portion of the guide to form an extension thereof; and, the roller arm rotary driving means is constructed of the main-engaging projection, each of the sub-engaging projection, each of the sub-engaging projection separation recesses, each of the sub-guides, and the roller arm linear driving means.
In the above construction, the roller arm is linear driven by the roller arm linear driving means in a condition in which the roller arm has its main-engaging projection guided by the guide, which is constructed of the groove extending in the loading/unloading direction of the recording medium cartridge. As a result, the pair of the cartridge transfer-rollers, which are pivoted to the opposite-end portions of the roller arm and have their gears meshed with the rack extending in parallel to the guide, are rotary driven when their gears are moved relative to the rack. Namely, in this case, the transfer-roller rotary driving means is constructed of the roller arm linear driving means, the rack, and the gears meshing with the rack. Since the rack is positioned in an area outer than the positions of the cartridge transfer-rollers and meshes with the gears of these cartridge transfer-rollers, the traveling direction of the roller arm is coincident with the feeding direction of the recording medium cartridge fed by rotation of the cartridge transfer-rollers.
As a result, the linear driving operation of the roller arm and the feeding operation of the recording medium cartridge cartridge are simultaneously performed to help speed and smooth the loading/unloading operation of the recording medium cartridge performed between the carrier and each of the cartridge storage portion and the read/write portion.
When the roller arm reaches the front-end portion or the rear-end portion of the guide, the final stage of the loading operation of the recording medium cartridge into the read/write portion or into the cartridge storage portion starts. At this final stage of the loading operation, the leading one or the trailing one of the cartridge transfer-rollers each pivoted to the front-end portion or the rear-end portion of the roller arm, has its sub-engaging projection enter the front one or the rear one of the sub-guides, which sub-guides are smoothly connected with the opposite-end portions of the guide to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the guide.
After that, the sub-engaging projection which enters the sub-guide is slidably driven along the sub-guide, so that the roller arm is gradually rotated on the axis of its main-engaging projection. As a result of such rotational motion of the roller arm, the leading cartridge transfer-roller separates from the side surface of the recording medium cartridge while the trailing cartridge transfer-roller projects into the transfer path of the recording medium cartridge through the sub-engaging projection separation area. As is clear from the above, the roller arm rotary driving means is constructed of the main-engaging projection, the sub-engaging projection, the sub-engaging projection separation area, the sub-guide, and the roller arm linear driving means.
In FIG. 2B which illustrates the loading operation of the recording medium cartridge into the read/write portion, when the, front sub-engaging projection pivoted to the leading one of the opposite-end portions of the roller arm is moved downward along the front sub-guide as viewed in FIG. 2B, the rear sub-engaging projection pivoted to the trailing one of the opposite-end portions of the roller arm passes through the front sub-engaging projection separation area of the guide to escape inwardly from the guide in a condition in which the main-engaging projection of the roller arm remains engaged with the guide. As a result, the roller arm itself rotates clockwise on its main-engaging projection as viewed in FIG. 2B, because the roller arm has its main-engaging projection and its front sub-engaging projection slidably engaged with the guide and the front sub-guide, respectively.
In other words, such clockwise rotation of the roller arm itself on its main-engaging projection is accomplished through a so-called xe2x80x9ctwo-point supportxe2x80x9d for the roller arm, so that the rear sub-engaging projection of the roller arm is inwardly projected into the transfer path of the recording medium cartridge, whereby the rear cartridge transfer-roller coaxially mounted on the rear sub-engaging projection of the roller arm is brought into direct contact with the rear-end portion of the recording medium cartridge, which enables the rear cartridge transfer-roller to positively push or load the cartridge into the read/write portion.
Consequently, it is possible to smoothly transfer the recording medium cartridge from the carrier to the read/write portion (or to the cartridge storage portion) so as to have the cartridge smoothly loaded into the read/write portion (or into the cartridge storage portion), without fail even when the recording medium cartridge is soiled, and/or even when the cartridge transfer-rollers have worn.
Preferably, the connection portion through which the guide has each of its opposite-end portions connected with each of the sub-guides assumes a rounded shape, preferably, a substantially circularly-curved shape.
Due to such provision of a curved connection portion between the guide and each of the sub-guides, it is possible for the sub-engaging projections received in the guide to smoothly enter each of the sub-guides. This makes it possible for the roller arm to smoothly transfer from its linear motion to its rotational motion.
Further, preferably: the guide extends substantially over the entire length of the recording medium cartridge in the loading/unloading direction thereof on the carrier; and, both the sub-engaging projection separation area and the sub-guide are provided in each of the front-end portion and the rear-end portion of the guide.
Due the above construction, it is possible to rotate the roller arm on its main-engaging projection in each of the opposite-end portions of the carrier, and therefore possible to perform the loading operation of the recording medium cartridge into the read/write potion or into the cartridge storage portion, without fail. Consequently, it is possible to have the read/write portion oppositely disposed from the cartridge storage portion through the carrier disposed therebetween, which improves both the cartridge storage portion and the read/write portion in design freedom with respect to their arrangements.
Furthermore, at the final stage of the loading operation of the recording medium cartridge into the read/write portion or into the cartridge storage portion, the roller arm rotary driving means constructed of the main-engaging projection, the sub-engaging projection, the sub-engaging projection separation area, the sub-guide, and the roller arm linear driving means is actuated to rotary drive the roller arm itself on its center pin (main-engaging projection). Due to this, the trailing end cartridge transfer-roller or the leading end cartridge transfer-roller both pivoted to the opposite-end portions of the roller arm is brought into direct contact with the rear-end portion or the front-end portion of the recording medium cartridge, and positively pushes the recording medium cartridge forward or rearward so as to load the cartridge into the read/write portion or into the cartridge storage portion. Consequently, it is possible to completely solve the problems inherent in the loading operation of the recording medium cartridge performed in the conventional apparatuses.
As described above, in the case where the loading/unloading operation of the recording medium cartridge is performed in each of the opposite-end portions of the carrier, preferably: the home position of the roller arm is set at the central portion of the guide; and, a ratio in diameter between each of the cartridge transfer-rollers and each of the gears is designed in a manner such that a feed amount of the recording medium cartridge transferred forward or rearward via the cartridge transfer-rollers reaches substantially half the entire length of the recording medium cartridge before the roller arm transferred from its home position reaches the front-end portion or the rear-end portion of the guide.
On an other hand, in a case where the transfer-roller rotary driving means is constructed of the rack and the gears (which mesh with the rack, and is integrally formed with the cartridge transfer-roller), it is possible to control a ratio in feed amount of the recording medium cartridge between the roller arm linear driving means and the transfer-roller rotary driving means by controlling a ratio in diameter between each of the cartridge transfer-rollers and each of the gears of the cartridge transfer-rollers.
Further, in the above construction, the recording medium is steadily positioned at its home position after received in the its carrier. When the roller arm reaches the end portion of the guide, the feeding operation of the recording medium cartridge performed by the cartridge transfer-rollers is completed. At the same time, the rear-end portion or the front-end portion of the recording medium cartridge passes over the trailing end cartridge transfer-roller or over the leading end cartridge transfer-roller. This makes it possible to project the trailing end cartridge transfer-roller or the leading end cartridge transfer-roller inwardly into the transfer path of the recording medium cartridge upon rotation of the roller arm itself performed by the roller arm rotary driving means, and also makes it possible to positively push the rear-end portion or the front-end portion of the recording medium cartridge forward or rearward so as to load the cartridge into the read/write portion or into the cartridge storage portion, without fail.
In the above construction, preferably: provided in only one of the opposite-side portions of the carrier are the guide, the rack, the pair of the cartridge transfer-rollers, the roller arm, the sub-engaging projection separation recesses, and the sub-guides; and, provided in the other of the opposite-side portions of the carrier is the row of the plurality of rollers which cooperate with the cartridge transfer-rollers to sandwich the recording medium cartridge therebetween and transfer the cartridge forward or rearward.
At the final stage of the loading operation of the recording medium cartridge into the read/write portion or into the cartridge storage portion, since the rear-end portion or the front-end portion of the recording medium cartridge is directly pushed forward or rearward by the trailing end cartridge transfer-roller or the leading end cartridge transfer-roller, it is possible to perform the loading operation of the recording medium cartridge by using the above-mentioned components of the recording medium library apparatus of the present invention, wherein the components are disposed only one of the opposite-side portions of the carrier, and include: the guide, the rack, the pair of the cartridge transfer-rollers, the roller arm, the sub-engaging projection separation recesses, the sub-guides, and a like.